If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The darkness, like thick ink, enveloped the two of them completely.

The wind was silent in the passageway; only their own footsteps echoed. Step by step, they trod on the slippery stone slabs. Water droplets seeped from the cracks in the rock above, dripping and tapping on the ground. The sound was amplified in the silence, exceptionally clear.

Zhou Yang walked behind, one hand gripping the cold wall. His fingertips felt rough and slippery from the water. He disliked this kind of place. Too enclosed, too oppressive. If there were an ambush, there wouldn't even be anywhere to hide.

Qin Shuang, who was walking ahead, stopped.

Her figure was a blurry outline in the darkness. Zhou Yang stopped as well, lowering his voice to ask, "What's wrong?"

"There is light." Qin Shuang's voice was calm.

Zhou Yang squinted and looked ahead. Sure enough, at the end of the passage, a faint red light shone through. The light was dim, unlike the light of a fire, but rather like a piece of red-hot charcoal hidden in the depths. As the distance closed, the red color became clearer and clearer.

They walked out of the passage.

Before us was a small cave. Many stalactites of various shapes hung from the ceiling. Everything inside was bathed in a strange pink light. The source of the light was a pool of water in the center of the cave.

The pool wasn't large, only about two or three zhang wide. The water wasn't clear, but a pale pink, like someone had accidentally spilled a rouge box. Tiny bubbles rose to the surface, gurgling and bubbling, as if the pool were breathing. The air was filled with a damp, sweet scent carrying a hint of rust.

"What is this?" Qin Shuang pointed the tip of her long sword at the pool of water. A hint of wariness appeared in her expression.

This place is too eerie.

Zhou Yang remained silent. His attention was completely drawn to the pool. A strange intuition welled up within him. His system seemed to be responding to the water. A subtle pull came from his heart, pointing directly to the pinkish body of water.

He walked slowly over and squatted down by the pool.

The water was calm, with only tiny bubbles constantly rising and bursting. He stretched out his finger, hesitated for a moment, and then dipped it in.

A cool sensation spread through his fingertips, unlike ordinary water. It felt more like touching some kind of warm, smooth jade. The rusty, sweet fragrance was now clearly audible. He withdrew his fingers; his skin was neither stained with any color nor felt damp.

"Something's strange." He stood up and looked at Qin Shuang. "This water might be related to the fragments of the dragon's spine."

Qin Shuang walked to his side, also examining the pool of water: "Are you sure?"

"Intuition," Zhou Yang said bluntly, "My intuition is rarely wrong."

Qin Shuang didn't press further. She chose to trust Zhou Yang's judgment. This man always had all sorts of strange and unusual ideas, but most of the time, he was right.

Zhou Yang took the dragon spine fragment out of his backpack. The moment the fragment appeared, the surrounding air seemed to cool down. Holding the fragment, he took a deep breath and slowly immersed it into the pink pool of water.

"Sizzle—"

A soft sound, like hot oil hitting cold water.

The moment the fragment entered the water, the entire pool shone with a sudden burst of pink light! Countless tiny bubbles surged wildly from the surface of the fragment, as if it were boiling. The water churned violently, and the rusty, sweet scent intensified.

Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang both subconsciously took a step back, staring intently at the changes in the pool.

The water churned for about ten breaths. Then, everything gradually calmed down. The surface of the water returned to its previous stillness, only its color seemed a little lighter than before.

Zhou Yang reached out and scooped the fragments out of the water.

The fragments have changed.

The once dull surface now possessed a warm, gentle luster. That luster was understated, like a hidden spring. Most of the original malevolent energy of the fragment had been washed away; it was no longer so sharp, and the cold touch had softened considerably. Holding it in one's hand, one could feel the flow of a pure power.

"It's been purified?" Qin Shuang noticed the difference at a glance.

"It's not just purification." Zhou Yang stroked the smooth fragment. "Its quality has improved. It was originally a piece of scrap iron, but now... it's at least a piece of refined steel." He held the fragment up to his eyes, examining it in the light. "This thing is called the Blood Tears Spring?"

He just blurted out that name. The color of blood, the feel of tears.

"The name isn't important." Qin Shuang's gaze wasn't fixed on the fragments, but rather swept across the entire cavern. Her eyes finally landed on the other side of the pool. There, there was an inconspicuous crack, from which a thin stream of water seeped and flowed into the pool.

"Look there," she pointed.

Zhou Yang looked in the direction she pointed.

The flow was very small, almost imperceptible. But it was definitely there. Where water flowed in, water must flow out. He looked down at the bottom of the pool. The water was clear, and he could see the pebbles on the bottom. In one corner of the pool, he found a small drain, from which the water was slowly flowing away.

"This water is alive." Zhou Yang immediately understood what Qin Shuang meant.

Qin Shuang walked to the water outlet and squatted down to examine it closely. The water flow was slow, but over the years, it had eroded a shallow mark on the rock. She stretched out her finger, dipped it in the water, and smelled it.

"It tastes just like the water source." She stood up, her gaze following the trail left by the flowing water, tracing it forward. The trail meandered, turned a corner, and led deeper into the darkness of the cave.

"Where does this water lead?" Zhou Yang followed.

Qin Shuang didn't answer immediately. She took out a small oiled paper packet from her waist, opened it, and inside was a small charcoal pencil and several thin bamboo strips. This was her habit as a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—to record terrain and clues at any time.

Using the light from the fragments and the pool's dim glow, she quickly sketched on the bamboo slip. A simple plan of the cave was drawn, marking the entrance they had taken, the central spring, and the direction of the water flow.

"Look," she handed the bamboo strip to Zhou Yang, "we're currently about halfway up Linfeng Mountain. This spring water seeps out from deeper into the mountain. And the direction it flows out..."

She drew an arrow on the bamboo strip.

"It's upwards."

"Upwards?" Zhou Yang was somewhat surprised. "Water flows downhill, how could it go upwards?"

"It's not that the water flows upwards," Qin Shuang explained. "It's the direction of this underground river; it spirals upwards. The internal structure of the mountain is complex, so this isn't unusual. Perhaps it's a secret passage leading to the summit."

Zhou Yang's eyes lit up as he looked at the simple arrow on the bamboo strip.

They were worried about not being able to find the path to the summit of Mount Linfeng. The mountain path was blocked by the Heavenly Principle Cult; to use it openly would be tantamount to revealing their location to the enemy. But what if there was a hidden natural passage…

"Is this road passable?" he asked the most crucial question.

"We'll only know after seeing it with our own eyes." Qin Shuang put away the bamboo slips and charcoal pencil, her tone unwavering. "Whether we can walk or not, we have to go and see."

"I agree." Zhou Yang carefully put away the dragon spine fragment. This thing is even more valuable now. He glanced at the Blood Tear Spring, which was still faintly glowing, and added, "This spring is a treasure trove. Perhaps other fragments can also be strengthened here."

"Then write it down." Qin Shuang had already started walking towards the dark corner where the water disappeared.

She's always decisive. If she finds a clue, she follows it up immediately. She won't waste any extra time here.

Zhou Yang followed behind her. The two walked one after the other into the depths of the cave. The underground river was very narrow, only wide enough for one person to pass at a time. The path underfoot was made of slippery pebbles, so they had to walk with extra caution.

The riverbed was pitch black; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Qin Shuang stopped and took something out of her bosom. It was a luminous pearl the size of a pigeon's egg. She activated it with her inner strength, and the pearl immediately emitted a soft white light, illuminating an area of ​​several feet around it.

In the sunlight, you could see that the riverbanks were smooth rocks, worn smooth by the flowing water. The air was thick with the dampness of water.

"Stay close," Qin Shuang instructed, turning around.

Her voice echoed slightly in the narrow river channel.

Zhou Yang nodded without speaking. He followed behind her, feeling the coolness of the flowing water beneath his feet and the slight warmth from the luminous pearl. The path was quiet and eerie. Yet, a sense of reassurance filled his heart.

They've found the right path.

If the mountain road is blocked, then we'll take the waterway.

The path to the summit may lie deep underground, hidden behind this inconspicuous underground river. The Blood Path Trial truly begins the moment one steps into this darkness.